Everyone remembers the game hot potato from when you were a kid. It involved passing an object around a circle or among a group of friends as quickly as possible. As soon as you caught the ball, beanbag, or whatever was used as the “hot potato,” you’d throw it away toward one of your friends just as fast as it came to you. You were trying to limit your contact time with this object as if it were a “hot potato” that could burn your hands. While this was just a game based on the idea of a hot potato, the true hot potato has to be the Baked Potato—one of the most popular, if not the most popular, potato dishes ever created by man. Like many potato dishes, its simplicity seems almost too easy to be true, yet its genius is wrapped up in that simplicity. Potato dishes always seem easy to make, but they also always taste so good. The baked potato is the ultimate hot potato dish.
The Versatility and Popularity of the Baked Potato
Baked potatoes, sometimes called jacket potatoes, are simply the result of baking a potato. These potatoes are typically baked in a microwave or oven, but they can also be cooked on a grill or even over an open fire, such as a campfire. You can wrap a potato in tin foil and place it in the hot coals of a fire to cook. Potatoes are one of the few foods that cook well in a microwave, and when covered, they retain most of their healthy nutrients. Because potatoes are easy to find, simple to prepare, and quite filling, the baked potato has become a popular dish around the world.
To prepare a baked potato, the recommended oven temperature is 350 degrees F. As for the age-old question of whether to wrap your baked potato in aluminum foil, the answer depends on your preference: the foil retains moisture, while leaving the potato uncovered results in a crispier texture. Regardless of your method, remember that the potato is fully cooked when it reaches an internal temperature of 210 degrees F. Once your potato is done, there are two common ways to enjoy it: either by removing the skin to eat the softer, moister potato core or by enjoying the crispy (or non-crispy) skin, depending on how it was cooked.
When it comes to baked potatoes, it’s not so much the “hot potato” itself that gets your mouth watering and taste buds jumping, but rather the added spices and toppings that make it a true treat. Common ingredients include sour cream and chives, mushrooms, cheese, butter, bacon bits, and sometimes beans. As with most potato dishes, salt is often added to complete the flavor masterpiece that makes up a baked potato. These extra ingredients are what really make the baked potato so popular, and they also contribute to its irresistible taste. I can just picture the creamy toppings and spices floating on top of a baked potato, much like gravy over mashed potatoes. Mmm, potato goodness!
